Float



"(No Model.)

F. 8v F. H. ENGELHARD.

. FLOAT.

Patented Aug. 18, 1896.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK ENGELHARD AND FREDERICK H. ENGELHARD, OF SPRINGFIELD,

' MASSACHUSETTS.

FLOAT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 565,885, dated August 18, 1896.

Application filed October 18, 1895. Serial No. 566,079. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, FRANK ENGELHARD and FREDERICK H. ENGELHARD, citizens of the United States of America, residing in Springfield, in the county of VHampden and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Floats, of

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view through one side of the annular binder adapted to secure the two parts of the shell together.

In the construction of our device we employ two hemispherical portions, a lower portion a, and an upper portion 17, thelatter having centrally thereof a collar 0, within which. is inserted the threaded socket d, adapted to receive the end of the lever, bar, or stem e.

The two hemispherical portions are secured together by means of the annular web or binder, which is of the sectional conformation illustrated in Fig. 3, that is to say, it

- comprises a double continuous outer fold g and upper and lower inner folds h, all of said folds following the contour of the diametral portion of a sphere, so as to lie closely against the terminal portions of the hemispheres a 1). Between the fold g and the folds h there is a narrow space into which said terminal portions of the hemispheres are received. After said terminal portions have been inserted in said spaces they are firmly secured therein, and a water-tight joint is effected, preferably, by means of solder poured into said spaces, and if desired the edges of the outer fold g are swaged down upon said hemispherical portion, so as to make a smooth continuous joint. This construction materially reduces the expense of manufacture of floats, inasmuch as each separate portion can be economically manufactured, and the whole readily put together. stronger float for the same amount of material than a continuous sphere of uniform thickness, inasmuch as the binder is placed where the float receives the greatest strain and the most diflicult joint in the float made up of two sections.

In order to further brace the float against vertical strain, we have provided the web or reinforce 70, having a circular aperture surrounding the collar 0 and having two extensions Z, which descend toward the equatorial binder f and are secured to the float in any convenient manner. This web also performs the further important function of helping the collar 0 and the part of the hemisphere b adjacent thereto to resist lateral'strainiof the socket d. WVe prefer that the reinforce k be secured to the exterior, as illustrated, but it will readily be seen that the desired result will be attained if it be secured upon the interior.

Having thus fully described our invention, what we claim is- 1. In a float the combination of two hemispherical portions, and an equatorial binder, having folds, between the faces of which each said portion is independently secured, substantially as described.

2. In a float the combination of two hemispherical portions and an equatorial binder having inner and outer folds between which the edge of each said portion is independently secured, so that a part of the binder is inside and a part outside of the float, substantially as described. 4

3. In a float, the combination of two hemispherical portions and an equatorial binder, formed in a single piece of metal, having a double outer fold, and single inner fold,within which each said portion is independently secured, substantially as described.

4. In an equatorial binder for a float, the single piece of metal of annular form having the continuous annular surfacefolded upon itself at top and bottom until said folded portions meet, and then folded back along two- Moreover, it produces a much folds contiguous with each other, substan- I and the web It inclosing said collar and socket and having the downward extensions 1 secured at their lower end to said body portion, substantially as described.

8. In a float, the combination with the body portion of spherical shape, with a reinforcepiece 70 shaped to fit the float-shell and secured thereto and a stem-receiving boss passing through the reinforce substantially as shown.

FRANK ENGELHARD. FREDERICK I-I. ENGELI-IARD. Witnesses:

ALLEN WEBSTER, E. O. STIOKNEY. 

